The Opposition leader says the target brings Australia into line with most developed nations, despite the British Government last week signalling it would wind back its 20 per cent by 2020 target because it was too expensive and impractical.

Is this a realistic target? Or is Rudd merely attempting to deflect attention from the 'off-message' utterances of environment spokesman, Peter Garrett? How does it compare with the Coalition's attitude to climate change?

Is this a good move, an infringement, or a case of too little, too late? Police Association secretary Paul Mullett said the laws could have been introduced five years ago. Should the legislation have gone a step further and subjected police to random testing? How does the situation compare with other industries?

The move comes ten days after Labor leader Kevin Rudd labelled the laptop computer "the toolbox of the 21st century". In contrast, Mr Howard has championed a return to traditional technical education as a way to push Australia's unemployment level down to 3 per cent within three years.

Is the Prime Minister's plan the way forward? Or is David Williams, of the Victorian TAFE Association, right when he says it would be better to tackle the skills shortage in cooperation with states, rather than creating a separate network?

The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF), which is after a six per cent wage increase each year over three years and a guarantee that nurse-patient ratios will not be cut, have stated they are not confident of an early resolution.

The nine-day-old dispute has seen the ANF enforce bans that have closed more than 1200 beds and stalled hundreds of elective surgical procedures. The Australian Industrial Relations Commission had ordered the bans be lifted. As a result, many nurses have seen their pay docked.

So, now you know - it's your fault if you haven't been able to secure that house you've been longing for. Mark Armstrong and David Johnston contend that it's time to throw the spotlight on buyers and their lack of knowledge of how the property market operates.

Following months of dominance, Labor's poll lead on a two-party basis has dropped by two percentage points, and Kevin Rudd's rating as preferred prime minister has slumped by five points, according to the Age/Nielsen poll.

How do you think the first week of campaigning has gone? Do you agree with the poll results? Is it merely a temporary fillip a tax cut will normally generate? Or is a sign that the Coalition has Labor in its sights?

The Coalition has unveiled a $34 billion tax package.
The plan, announced jointly by Prime Minister John Howard and Treasurer Peter Costello, would see all taxpayers get a tax cut - about $20 a week for those currently on average weekly earnings from July, rising to about $35 in 2010.

What do you think of the package? Is it enough to win your vote? Is it evidence that the Coalition is more trustworthy on economic issues? Or was John Howard's embarrassing interest rate gaffe a damaging slip for a Coalition that is campaigning hard on its economic credentials?

Does Andrews owe the Sudanese community an apology? Have his comments they helped to create a climate in which such attacks could occur? Or was he simply working within his remit as Immigration Minister, highlighting the problems the Sudanese community has experienced, as they attempt to settle in Australia?

Rudd described McClelland's declaration that a Labor government would campaign internationally to stop executions - even in extreme cases like the Bali bombers - as "insensitive in the extreme". It is just days before the fifth anniversary of the Bali bombing, which killed 88 Australians.

In gambling parlance, this is known as a "short deck", and distorts the odds.

There are many who would note that fining Crown $35,000 is the equivalent of severely thrashing them with a feather. Certainly, anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello has complained that while enriching government coffers, the casino does more harm than good to the community and that, for Crown, the fine is like "being slapped with a wet lettuce".

However, Crown's spokesman said such problems occurred in a tiny proportion of hands dealt and that there is a system in place to ensure the correct number of cards have been used. Games are heavily monitored by supervisors and surveillance cameras.

Does the punishment fit the crime? What can be done to ensure this sort of thing doesn't happen in the future?

Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull has approved the controversial plan for a pulp mill in Tasmania's Tamar Valley. The project in Tasmania's north-east will be the island state's largest-ever private sector investment. Gunns, the company behind the mill, says it will provide up to 2,000 long-term jobs and add $6.7 billion to Tasmania's economic output over the next 25 years.

"This decision on the pulp mill is based on science and science alone," Mr Turnbull said.

However, environmentalists say it will contaminate nearby waters, produce foul odours and emit large volumes of greenhouse gases, while harming other industries in the area.

The issue of trees, Tasmania and Gunns was pivotal at the last election and, given the immediate reactions to the announcement, it appears no less controversial today.

Do you believe the green light for Gunns is a step forward? Or is this a bad decision for the state?

The Australia@Work report, partly funded by the Commonwealth's Australian Research Council and partly by Unions NSW, has asked 8343 people about work and
their attitudes to it. The findings weren't particularly encouraging; low-skilled workers on the Government's individual contracts spend an extra hour at
work each week but take home $100 less than those on collective agreements.

Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey has slammed the study, suggesting it lacks credibility as it was part union funded, produced by union-friendly academics and released just before the election.
However, the head of the study has defended its independence, saying it was also funded by the Federal Government.

What have been your experiences of WorkChoices? Do AWAs mean longer hours for less pay? Or is Hockey right; does the new system mean greater flexibility and rewards for the average employee?

More than 30 people hoping to become Australian citizens will take the federal government's controversial new citizenship test today. The test, based on the contents of a resource booklet put together by the Immigration Department, was introduced this month by the Federal Government and backed by a taxpayer-funded advertising blitz.

Among topics to be tested are general knowledge of Australian history and culture, as well as English-language skills. To pass, prospective citizens will have to get at least 12 questions correct.

Do you think is money well spent? Is the test is an efficient way of ensuring prospective citizens share the common values that we have in this country and know something about the way of life and heritage of Australia?

Or do you think Democrat leader Lyn Allison has a point when she says it is ludicrous to deny someone citizenship just because they did not know that the golden wattle was the nation's floral emblem, or that Sir Donald Bradman was a great cricketer.